


sir thor and the red knight

by starkly



Series: you've been thunderstruck [9]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Knights - Freeform, M/M, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:07:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28211376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkly/pseuds/starkly
Summary: A mysterious knight in red armor appears to compete in a grand tournament held by King Anthony Stark. The prize? Anything the victor wishes.
Relationships: Tony Stark/Thor
Series: you've been thunderstruck [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2064666
Comments: 2
Kudos: 70





	sir thor and the red knight

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for NaNoWriMo 2020 and [posted here](https://aleator.tumblr.com/post/634382799774892033) on my tumblr writing blog. This fic was proofread before being uploaded here but is otherwise unchanged.
> 
> Prompts taken from the AU-gust 2020 challenge list on Twitter. Day Nine: Royalty AU.

Once every ten years, Ironfell hosts a grand tournament, and knights come from all over the kingdom to get a chance to face off against one another. It is a great honor to simply compete in this tournament, but for the lucky and talented knight who wins, he is permitted one wish he may ask the king to grant him.

Most winners wish to be granted a position in the royal guard, while others wish for a title and a plot of land, or for some fair lady’s hand in marriage. Tony has only presided over this tournament once, a few years into his reign as king, but he witnessed it several times prior under the rule of his father, King Howard.

Now it’s Tony’s turn again ten years later and the whole city is a flurry of activity and excitement. The tournament lasts for a week and many people come from far off to watch as well, not just to compete.

Which leaves Tony a very busy man in the weeks leading up to the tournament. Thankfully he has his council and advisors to help, but most importantly he has Thor, his favorite knight. Not that he plays favorites with the royal guard, of course. That wouldn’t look good for him and his attempt to be a fair and just ruler.

“You should have worn the red cloak,” Thor says first thing upon seeing Tony the morning of the start of the tournament. “Makes you look more regal.”

“Good morning to you too,” Tony replies, tugging at the clasp on his dark blue cloak. “How’s the crowd out there?”

“Excitable. It’s been a long year. The people could use some proper entertainment.”

Tony adjusts his clasp again, frowning at his reflection in a nearby mirror. “Then we’ll have to keep them entertained.”

Thor reaches out and gently takes Tony’s hand away from his cloak, then adjusts the clasp for him. Tony stands still while Thor does that, then looks at himself in the mirror again.

“Thank you.”

“Still would be better in red.”

Tony laughs and motions for Thor to follow him down to the main hall so they can get the celebration started.

The king traditionally gives a speech at the opening ceremony, so Tony opens the first day of the tournament with a rousing speech about honor and good fortune and courage, all the usual stuff the crowd likes to hear before they watch people do fancy tricks and hit each other with sticks. Then he’s led to his special box seat at the arena. With both parents now passed away, it’s just him and the head of his guard, Sir James, in the royal box with a few important dignitaries from neighboring kingdoms.

The tournament begins with much cheering and fanfare as the knights are introduced to Tony and the crowd. Some he knows are from nearby, others are from the outer edges of the kingdom, but there’s one knight he doesn’t recognize at all, a man in red armor on a pure white horse, whose only name given is the Lionheart.

The crowd is instantly abuzz with speculation on the secret identity of this mysterious knight, but the tournament does not stop even for gossip. The first day of challenges are mostly archery displays, with knights showing off tricks and skills more suited for showmanship than battle.

A feast for all ends each day of the tournament, so by the end of the first day the crowd is well enthused for its continuation. Tony does his duty as host in the main hall of the castle, though he can’t help looking around for the mysterious Lionheart, who does not seem to be in attendance.

“Who could this Lionheart be, do you think?” Tony asks Thor as his knight walks with him through the halls of the castle up to his chambers after the feast. “He seems skilled with the bow, but I’ve never heard of him before.”

“Perhaps he is foreign,” Thor offers, and Tony hums thoughtfully. While there is no rule banning foreign competitors, the few foreign knights who do join usually announce their presence, not hide behind a mask and a false name.

“He must not have a noble patron backing him,” Tony decides after a few moments consideration. “Why else would he not share such information?”

“Perhaps,” Thor says again, though Tony remains too caught up in his thoughts to pay him much mind.

“I suppose we will see how he does in the rest of the tournament,” Tony says at last. He nods to Thor as they reach the door to his chambers, and Thor nods back. “Good night, Thor.”

“Sleep well, Your Majesty,” Thor says, as he always says every night before Tony retires for bed.

The next few days are reserved for jousting matches, both individual performances against wooden dummies and one-on-one matches between knights. The real winner of the tournament will be the knight who triumphs in the melee on the last day, but lesser prizes will be given out to those who perform well in the jousts.

Despite the impressive display of skill from all involved, Tony can’t help being mesmerized by the red knight’s performance. Like with his archery, his talents on horseback and skill with the javelin and lance are seemingly unmatched. Much of the crowd seems taken with this mysterious knight, and Tony wonders if he’ll be the one to win the tournament overall.

“I would have thought your favor would be with Sir Steven,” Thor replies when Tony says as much the evening before the final day of competition. “He is one of your own knights.”

“Of course,” Tony says with a flippant wave of his hand. “But he’s curious, is he not? He disappears before every feast and only reappears at the start of the next day’s tournament. Why not join in the celebration?”

“Keeping his identity a secret must be more important,” Thor suggests.

“Well, if he does win the tournament, he’ll have to reveal himself,” Tony says with an un-kingly huff. Just one more reason he’s maybe secretly hoping that the red knight wins.

The next morning, as the knights prepare for the grand melee, Tony decides to hell with it and puts on his red cloak. Yet Thor is nowhere to be seen, and Tony walks down to the main hall alone that morning.

For the final day of the tournament, all the knights battle it out in the arena on foot with their preferred choice in weapon. Though it’s a free-for-all, the rules of chivalry still stand, and all weapons must be modified to prevent fatalities. Knights who have been defeated must bow out until there is only one man remaining--the true tournament victor.

The red knight strides into the ring with a simple war hammer in hand, which is a curious choice in Tony’s opinion. A war hammer can do a lot of damage in battle, but it’s small and unimpressive for such a spectacle as this.

That doesn’t seem to slow the red knight down at all, for as soon as the battle begins he takes down his first opponent with ease. As the knights clash against one another and the crowd cheers, Tony only has eyes for the red knight, hands gripping the arms of his chair tightly with each close call the red knight has.

When the dust clears at the end of the battle, the last man remaining is none other than the red knight, Lionheart.

The crowd goes wild, everyone thoroughly taken by this mysterious challenger who appeared out of nowhere and swept the tournament. Tony stands and approaches the railing of his box as the red knight crosses the arena to kneel in the dirt before Tony.

“Rise, Sir Lionheart, for you have proven yourself worthy on this day,” Tony says imperiously for all to hear. “Remove your helm and speak what you wish bestowed upon you as a prize.”

The red knight does not stand, nor does he remove his helmet. Instead, in his deep voice he says,

“I wish for your hand in marriage, Your Majesty.”

The sudden murmur of the crowd is so loud that Tony almost doesn’t think he heard the request right. Nobody has ever asked for anything like this before. It’s not as if he’s some poor nobleman’s daughter to be offered up in exchange for good standing. He’s a king! Such impertinence from someone who refuses to even share his real name.

Frowning, he motions for the knight to remove his helmet once more. “If that is your wish, then I bid you again, reveal yourself.”

This time the knight does stand, and the crowd seems to collectively hold its breath as he reaches up to remove his helmet. Instead of the mysterious red knight, now only Thor stands in his place, knight of the Ironfell royal guard.

“I told you red’s your color,” Thor says to him, and Tony lets out a surprised exclamation, gripping the railing of the royal box before he collapses from shock.

“I fear you might be right,” Tony replies, his laughter disbelieving but his smile wide. “I hope it’s your color too, since you’ll be wearing it a lot more soon.”

“Your Majesty?” Thor says, looking hopefully up at him.

“You won the tournament fair and square, and thus your wish will be granted.”

In yet another unkingly move, Tony hops the short railing of his spectator box and jumps down from the low platform his box sits upon, stumbling a bit on the landing. As is chivalrous, Thor immediately drops his helmet and hammer to go and catch Tony before he falls in the dirt. Then, somewhat less chivalrously, Thor kisses him soundly, all of the background noise of the tournament fading away as Tony loops his arms around Thor’s neck and kisses him back.

Perhaps, Tony thinks, the final day’s feast can double as a wedding.


End file.
